refuge of awareness

There has been too much sadness, anger, grief, conflict, hopelessness in the news of late. It is overwhelming. I find my mind swirling around in thoughts of confusion as I try to distract myself with books, tv, or whatever. None of it helps. It never does yet I keep coming back to them.

This can be especially painful for those of us that have a strong desire to fix the world because we care about it so much. Yet there seems to be nothing we can do. There is a lot of truth to that. We cannot fix the world — there are too many things and people that we have no control over. Yet, there is a lot of untruth to that as well. We can do something — we can change ourself. Afterall, we are a part of the world. It is all too easy to blame those people we have no control over for the sad state of the world. The truth is hardly ever easy. If we look more closely, it becomes obvious that those people are not the true source of misery in the world. The true source is our conditioned existence that breeds contempt, jealousy, greed, hatred, and division. Those people are victims of their conditioned existence. You are too — we all are.

What we need is a refuge to come back to in such times of overwhelming confusion. We have a tendency to seek out such refuge in various distracting activities. But none of it helps. It never does yet we keep coming back to them. This is also part of our conditioned existence. What we need is a refuge outside our conditioned existence.

That refuge is awareness.

Awareness is always there, it never comes or goes.

Awareness is just as it is, it never increases or decreases.

Awareness is everywhere, it is not out there or in here.

Awareness is unconditioned.

Awareness is always there for us. Just as the sky is always there — even if it is covered up by clouds, stormy weather, or pollution. We do not forget the sky, we do not freak out when the sky is hidden. So too, we must be confident that awareness is always there — even if it is covered up by clouds of distraction or the storm of confusion. We do not need to reflect on the past or dream of the future to reveal it.

Awareness is just as it is. We do not need to fabricate it, force it, or increase it. We simply need to recognize that it is there. Water by nature has the qualities of stillness and clarity. When the water is disturbed it might seem like this is not the case. The winds and tides will create strong waves on the surface, pollutants and mud will cloud the water. However, left undisturbed the stillness and clarity of the water is revealed. The surface of the water becomes calmed and unmoving. The reflections on the surface become crystal clear. The radiant transparency reveals what is below the surface. So too, if we leave the mind undisturbed the stillness and clarity of awareness will be revealed.

Awareness is everywhere. We do not need to seek it out, there is no need to search for it in objects or people or in our thoughts and emotions. Yet it pervades all objects, people, and thoughts. We do not need to run away from the world in order to find it. Once we stop searching — we will see that it was everywhere we went.

Awareness is the unconditioned refuge. It is home. Our original nature, the ground of our being. We have been lost for so long, wandering around in homelessness. Desperate to feel safe and secure we have conjured up stories and dramas about who we are. We have erected false homes with our various identities. Weaving lies and half-truths, we have forgotten that we already have a home — believing that they are real, yet secretly knowing they are built on lies. We desperately cling to these false homes with our hopes and fears. Many die clinging to such lies with their last breath.

In taking refuge in awareness — that is always there, just at it is, everywhere — we return to our true home. We return to our original nature and ground of our being. It is like a long lost child finally reuniting to their mother. For now, we may have forgotten what the face of our awareness looks like but you will instantly recognize it and know that it has been there all along.

When you return back to the world you do so in a new light. You may see the world differently even though it has not changed one bit. The stories you have weaved are still there but they are not stained with lies of false homes. They are simply roles you are taking on in this play of life.

The refuge of awareness reminds us of who we really are. It connects us with our original nature and in doing so it connects us with others.

The refuge of awareness is a home to come back to when you feel overwhelmed and confused.

The refuge of awareness is a home to enjoy when life is going well and you are happy.

It is always there, just as it is, everywhere.

Originally published at http://amindfulbalance.blog on May 28, 2020.